TV: Capital case study

Reviews and features

Guardian review by Sam Wollaston
London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

That it was able to squeeze and incredible amount into one street, one book and 3 hours of television. They identified that initially unlikable characters like Rodger and Arabella, are revealed to be quite complex characters making them all the more interesting. The setting of the streets were actually recognisable and familiar, as well as the issues, conversations, obsessions and fears being the same as real life. Not only was it a brilliant allegorical portrait of London, it has many overlapping stories over a series of characters.

1. Brilliant cast
2. Novel offered a hilarious and incisive look at the boom-and-bust economics of 2007, and the themes stay disappointingly relevant even today. 
3. True experiences of London

2) What references can you find in the reviews and feature to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?

It is a microcosmic metaphor for London, capturing characters from financially-sound to economically-struggling. There is even a shot through the sweaty armpit of a morning commuter on the tube. The fact the shows follows a range of people of different demographics.

Trailer analysis

1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

Handheld camera - speeds pace, creating a sense of urgency as well as placing the audience straight into the action. Highlights city's bustling nature and and indicator of the crime genre.

Wide shots - to show iconic London landmarks. Capturing the diversity of London from high-end neighbourhoods to the more ordinary areas. Hinting to social contrast in the drama

Close-ups - focus on character's emotions, more intimate. Emphasising the individual lives of the characters and the importance of their experience to the drama. Hinting to multi stranded narrative

2) How does the trailer introduce the different narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?

It reveals the different characters and a hint to their lifestyle, establishing their importance to the plot individually and even through the tension that sparks through character's interactions. All these characters string together and have related narratives through Pepys street but have their own narratives.There is an enigma set up when the audience wonder what the character's personal backstories are but also how and why they relate together to construct the narrative.

Capital in Media Magazine

Issue 83 of Media Magazine has a feature exploring Capital as a media product. Read ‘We Want What You Have’ in MM83  (p10). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the 'state of the nation' genre and how Capital is an example of this?  

Such novels try to represent an entire country at a particular moment in time. As such, they

 involve multiple storylines and a large cast. Capital is an example of this because by squeezing so many walks of life into the show, they are a symbol and representation of everyone in the UK through whatever means they relate to the characters.

2) What does the article suggest regarding the setting of Capital?

London sucks in people from around the country and around the globe. It is vast, complex and endlessly fascinating. Centring the action on a single street then helps bring some focus to the narrative. This is demonstrated in establishing shots at various points in episode one. Aerial shots of large chunks of the city zoom in to smaller segments, before zooming in on Pepys Road in particular, and then a single house or character.

3) What are the major themes in Capital and what does the article suggest regarding the impact of money on communities?

The thematic idea of  the houses and prices is demonstrated through the characters. This has impact the communities because the gentrification of the struggle for those with unstable income, being inaccessible for those with a working class background and comfortable for those middle/upper class backgrounds. Immigration - through Quintina and Polish builders. Community - symbolised by Petunia, opening sequence of her life.

4) What different representations in Capital are discussed in the article?

SON dramas offer social/political commentary. Impact of money on everyday lives. 

• Banker Roger is a weak, feckless character, in thrall to wealth and capable of uttering phrases like ‘What use is £30,000 to anyone?’. Spouse: Uses him for money.
• Petunia/Ahmed - community minded people.

Other characters ('good') specifically Petunia/Quintana/Ahmed against Rodger and Arabella , setting up a representation of Rich V Poor, Good V Bad, Industrious V Feckless, 

• Rodger:  a stereotypical banker (wealthy, outside of the community, sees himself above the rules). His costume includes the visual signifiers, but his reaction to receiving a parking ticket from Quentina also builds this stereotypical representation. Roger is rude, and makes it clear he holds Quentina and her job role in contempt.
• Kamal Family: positioned with an expected framework, the corner-shop, and reflect the stereotype of an Asian family. But, Ahmed is a key member of the community. Shahid - "white people have complained" - His role is one that raise awareness of the existing stereotypes. Comedy is used to challenge them for the audience.

5) What does the final section of the article suggest regarding genre and overall message of the drama?  

Crime: opening - The shadowy hooded figure, mentioned above, is shot in grainy, handheld footage. Their presence sets up an enigma, with a series of questions to be resolved.

Capital Media Factsheet

Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login) to find Media Factsheet #194 on Capital (BBC TV Drama). 

Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does the factsheet say about the characters on the first page?

Main characters are Petunia Howe and Roger and Arabella Yount (no. 92). We are also introduced to

the Kamal family, who run the corner shop, and Quentina Mkfesi, a religious asylum seeker with a PhD working illegally as a traffic warden. The interactions between the characters reflect the tensions between different cultures and costume is used to quickly communicate the different character roles.

2) Focusing on the industrial contexts, how does Capital help the BBC meet its obligations as a public service broadcaster?

• They reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of the UK: the narrative includes a range of socio-economic groups.
• Creative, high quality, distinctive: opening sequence - use of POV, tracking shots. Multi stranded narrative, genre hybridity. 
• Reflecting UK culture/values: sequence shot - introducing different residents on streets. Binary Opposition.

3) What do we learn about the ownership structure for production company Kudos? 

The ownership of Kudos reflects a horizontally integrated company. The parent company, Endemol Shine UK, own a range of TV production companies across different formats and genres. Endemol

Shine UK is owned in equal share by Apollo Global Management (an American public equity firm) and 21st Century Fox.

4) How can David Hesmondhalgh's ideas in The Cultural Industries be linked to Capital and Kudos? 

5) How does the factsheet suggest Capital meets the genre conventions of crime and social realism?

Crime key conventions: question of morality, power struggles, corruption/betrayal , enigmas, mystery.

Social realism: represent UK regions accurately, triumph over adversity.

6) How does the factsheet analyse the DVD packaging and what this communicates to the audience?

The silhouette skyline of London contains clear geographical markers that denote the setting, and also establish the themes of British culture and financial issues (as both the Houses of Parliament and the Gherkin are featured). The reference to Kudos’ previous productions serves to give credibility to the TV drama and is designed to appeal to audiences who may not be familiar with the BBC (this DVD can be purchased globally). The inter textual reference to a mug shot is evident here, and gently hints at the crime genre.

7) Look at page 5 of the factsheet. Choose one of the audience theories in the table and apply it to Capital.

Uses & Grats:

Personal identification - The struggles and different lifestyles of characters, as well as the diverse cast gives the audience various experiences to relate to.

Surveillance - It teaches audiences about the financial crisis in London, and deeper issues like inequality to raise awareness.

8) What does the factsheet suggest regarding binary oppositions in Capital?  

Oppositions used to highlight the difference/inequality in Pepys road. Rodger/Arabella's privileged behaviour highlights the streets change from 'normal' to million pound properties. 

Representations: close-textual analysis

Capital offers a range of fascinating representations - from London and asylum seekers to capitalism and inequality. You need to be able to confidently discuss these issues in the context of 2015 London - with reference to key scenes from episode 1. Representations include: London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, capitalism, aging and more.

These are our notes from this year analysing the episode in class. There are also these notes from a previous year analysing the clips in case this is useful. Use this to help with this element of the case study. You'll need your Greenford Google login to access the document.

1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in the lesson:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49

• Diversity of London - immigrant history
• Prices of houses makes Londoners "millionaires" (Gentrification of London)
• Conventional British family - working or lower/middle class
• Flashback sequence - nostalgia
• "Volunteering for Syria" - Islamic extremism, subverted by Kamal Family.
• "Not real Millionaires" - house value = wealth?
• Loneliness of ageing - lack of family (Petunia)
• Importance of immigration to London (Portrayal of Eastern European migrants)

Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10

• Glamorous, modern office building - highlights wealth of Banking industry
• Iconic train station/ red buses and London buildings outside contrast with inside of train station (Under the armpit shot - reality of the busy, overwhelming, bustling city.)
• Bird's eye view -Banking is the financial heart of the capital
• Fast-paced cuts - excitement and fast life in London. (Phones ringing, overlapping convos)
• Gender - Male dominated field.
• "Bonus season" - £75m  profit, inequality in wealth
• Materialistic/money oriented
• Rodger's boss is German - aspect of immigration

Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35

• Luxurious, upper/middle class home - "wet room"
• Traditional gender roles - Rodger is breadwinner. Arabella is housewife/spends the money
• Family held together by money
• Issues of necessity V want - abundance
• Caricature of upper/middle class
• Inequality of relationship - controlled by Arabella (subverts stereotypes)
• “You’d be surprised at how little £1m covers these days.”-  shows how privileged the richest Londoners are. 
• "Gardeners" "Builders" - most likely immigrants who take lower paying, blue collar jobs.

Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40

• Quintina's narrative contrasts R and A.
• Audio codes - loud music, crying, phones, trains in Quintina's home
• Black female lawyer - subverts stereotypes
• Gender - vulnerable female "rape" "kiss" - sexually exploited
• Religion - choir singing
• Inequality - "worked overtime" earning £300 but only takes home 200
• Wealth - scarce does unpleasant things to get by
• In London to survive
• Audio/camerawork - emphasises difference of wealth
• Threat of home country follows her - not completely safe in London

Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 

• Drone shots - financial centre
• Editing - sped up commuted demonstrating Roger losing touch with reality
• Appalled by only 30 grand - rich, white privilege
• “There is a context to this… Swiss subsidiary” - shows global nature of finance industry / global capitalism.
• Contrast with Quentina: “This is fundamentally not fair”.
• The impact of money on people

Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

• Arabella - only just learns of Ahmed - disconnect from community
• Family oriented - close family unlike R and A.
• Mis en scene - at dinner table, and bonding even w mother on Skype, unlike R and A's dysfunctional family.
• Representation of race/ethnicity: “White people have no idea!” Shows how out of touch Arabella is compared to most people.
• Family - high expectations, expected from Asian family - talk of being "doctors"
• Stereotype of Asian shop owner
• Social - Arabella stunned by his kindness and alien to it. Difference of rich and poor - negative stereotypes of rich
• “Maybe then you would know the responsibility of providing food.”
• Working class values of community play against upper/middle class values of materialism. Issues of necessity V want - want

You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc. Feel free to use bullet points for each scene - a summary of your notes is fine.

2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?

Gender - both subverts and reinforces through Arabella

Industries and production context

Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.

1) Who is the parent company for Kudos? What changes of ownership have there been for Kudos? This is an example of conglomerate ownership.

They are a British film production company. They have produced series for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, Amazon and Netflix. It was formed in 1992 and has been part of the shine group since 2007. The shine group was then acquired by News Corporation and was part of a 50/50 deal with Endemol Shine group. In 2020 Banijay bought the studio.

2) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced and for which channels? What awards have they won?

BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Amazon, Sky and Netflix

Then you run, SAS rogue heroes, Tin star, Code 404, Two weeks to live, Grantchester, Deep water, Responsible child

2021 Venice TV - best comedy winner, best mini series Emmy winner, best performance by an actor Emmy winner

3) How does Capital help the BBC to fulfil its remit as a public service broadcaster? You may want to look back at our work on public service broadcasting last term. 

Inform - teaches people of the economic crisis which took place, helping the audience the issues at the time

Educate - teaches people of the struggles of different groups of society, as well as those who have the power criticising it to teach a good lesson about the impact of money

Entertain - provides high quality, multi-stranded narratives which keep multiple engaging plots going to keep the audience interested. Use of the crime drama to create mystery and diverse ensemble cast means people get time to get to know each character and relate to them